DAO, how to get the good side ending Bioware stole.

August 20th, 2011, 18:37

Spoilers.

DAO story and characters develop though out the duration with the best case, the player's choices affect/effect outcome at all levels. There's nothing better than a RPG with well done choices and consequences.

What's really painful and annoying is when a game makes a choice so utterly ridiculous it goes against every choice made and every story development. Not to mention nothing like that would ever happen in rl where intelligence is involved and breaks the game belief immersion.

I'm not saying a developer can't make their game their way but do you really want your customers saying, "what a stupid choice and consequence" about your game, really? The problem is they FORCE prevent you from getting the most logical and emotional ending. Then to make matters worst, they go out of their way to prevent you from getting the real good side ending, you worked for the whole game with a False Choice.

What should be a choice, is to "Force Loghain to become a Warden and Sacrifice himself to atone for his crimes and arrogance OR Death by Execution as a Treasonous Coward". Choice as in option, NOT to force everyone to use it, since that would be as hypocritical as Bioware.

With that in mind here is how to get the good side ending. Full credits go to Thandal for the insight.

2. When time to choose your final crew, leave Alistair to guard the Gates at Denerim, or the big lug will rush to "do the deed" anyway.

3. Make a (Named) Saved at some point inside Ft. Drakkon. (I do this right just outside the roof-top door that leads to the "Last Battle", but really, anytime after entering is fine.)

4. Exit and re-start DA:O with the command console option.

5. When you're ready, start the console and use:

runscript zz_addparty Loghain

to add Anora's father (now evidently resurrected and Joined) to your group.

NOTE: Since you have never had him on your team before, you will NOT be able to adjust his tactics to ensure he heals himself when necessary. And since you won't be able to "tell" him to use potions either, be sure you have a healer with you and that they focus on him. The whole point is to have both of you around at the end.

6. At the appropriate point he requests being allowed to strike the killing blow. A request which you are more than happy to grant.

And there you go! There is one "Post Coronation" bit of dialogue that's off. Anora asks how her father met his end, even though she witnessed the Landsmeet. (Alistar isn't sure how/why you survived either, but in that case one of the offered responses works very well for the situation.)

One point I think is incorrect (replaying atm), is you CAN adjust Loghain. All you need to do is Click On Him outside of the menu system, then enter the menu for Tactics and Character (if you used the Companion No Auto Level mod) to do everything manually.

— Trust me, most of the names I have been called you can't translate in any language…they're not even real words as much as a succession of violent images.